A scorecard, as we like to say, should tell a story. And telling that story requires careful attention.
As we analyzed recorded votes since our mid-term scorecard update, we focused on votes that advance our Legislative Agenda / Progressive Platform and, importantly, highlight a contrast between legislators.
Because of that, we shy away from including many unanimous votes: before any unanimous vote, there are often many legislators putting up roadblocks along the way, as well as concessions made to achieve broader support. Moreover, in a case of unanimity, a recorded vote is motivated more by legislators’ desires for a good press release than anything else (if there’s a time to voice vote, it would be then). No scorecard can ever fully capture such behind-the-scenes jockeying, but setting a high bar before including a unanimous vote helps.
See our full scorecard here or on https://scorecard.progressivemass.com.
False Solutions for Rising Inflation
In the wake of rising inflation, conservatives in the state and nationally started pushing for suspending or even eliminating the gas tax. Such a move does not get at the root of the commodity speculation pushing the price increase and drains revenue that could be used to address the true cost drivers. More forward-thinking policymakers embraced free public transit as a way to address rising costs (see, for example, Connecticut). Republicans roll-called an amendment to suspend the gas tax during the budget debate in April, and fortunately, it failed 32 to 124 (26h). Only Colleen Garry (D-Dracut), Dave Roberson (D-Tewksbury), Alan Silvia (D-Fall River), and Jeff Turco (D-Winthrop) joined Republicans in voting for it.
Reproductive Justice
Although the Legislature often claims that it cannot act quickly, at times it can, and the Legislature responded quickly to the Dobbs ruling by passing a follow-up bill to last session’s ROE Act. The new bill established critical protections for Bay Staters who provide or help someone access reproductive health care and gender-affirming care, requiring insurance to cover abortion and abortion-related care, and other important measures supporting reproductive justice and bodily autonomy. It passed overwhelmingly 136 to 17, with only 6 Democrats and 11 Republicans voting against it (27h). Notably, this was a much larger margin than the ROE Act last session, which just cleared the two-thirds threshold for an override of Governor Baker’s veto. The Democrats who opposed the bill were Colleen Garry (D-Dracut), Russell Holmes (D-Mattapan), John Rogers (D-Norwood), Alan Silvia (D-Fall River), Jeff Turco (D-Winthrop), and Bud Williams (D-Springfield).
Tackling the Climate Crisis
Back in March, the House passed a bill to accelerate the development of the offshore wind industry. The bill contained many important provisions, but was narrow in scope given the scale of the climate crisis. We chose to score the final conferenced climate bill that the House and Senate passed in July. Entitled An Act driving clean energy and offshore wind, that bill took steps to accelerate the transition to renewable energy, modernize the grid, make green jobs accessible to the communities most in need, require large buildings to report energy usage, improve electric car infrastructure and affordability, and require electrification of public fleets. It passed 143 to 9, with opposition coming from Democrat Colleen Garry (D-Dracut) and 8 Republicans (28h).
Public Safety Done Right
Just as the Legislature acted quickly to respond to the Supreme Court’s ruling on abortion rights, the Legislature also acted quicky to respond to the Supreme Court’s assault on gun violence prevention by passing a bill to harmonize MA’s gun safety laws with the ruling as well as requiring law enforcement officials to conduct personal interviews with anyone seeking to apply for a firearm license and banning anyone facing a restraining order from getting a license. It passed on a largely party line vote of 120 to 33 (29h). Colleen Garry (D-Dracut), Rady Mom (D-Lowell), Dave Robertson (D-Tewksbury), Paul Schmid (D-Westport), and Jeff Turco (D-Winthrop) joined Republicans in opposition.
After the House and Senate passed a measure to end the predatory practice of charging incarcerated individuals exorbitant costs to connect with their loved ones (No Cost Calls), Governor Baker threatened to veto it unless the Legislature also passed his “dangerousness bill,” an expansion of pre-trial detention (i.e., when individuals are incarcerated without yet being convicted of a crime) with few if any safeguards. Despite being touted as a victims’ rights bill, the proposal was opposed by Jane Doe, Inc., who argued that the bill would be harmful for the survivors they serve. Thankfully, the House rejected Baker’s measure, voting it down 31 to 122 (31h). If only the Senate had as well (but that’s another story). Four Democrats joined Republicans in siding with Baker: Colleen Garry (D-Dracut), Dave Robertson (D-Tewksbury), Paul Tucker (D-Salem), and Jeff Turco (D-Winthrop).
Labor Solidarity
In April, members of the MA State Senate staff announced that after years of staff organizing, they achieved the number of authorization cards necessary to form a MA Senate staff union. On Thursday, March 31, representatives of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2222 (IBEW) notified Senate President Karen Spilka of the successful majority and requested voluntary recognition of the Massachusetts State House Employee Union, which would become the second state legislative staff union in United States history. To show solidarity with the union organizers, we chose to score any statements made by legislators in support of the Staff Union (32h).
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